The graduate program in Neuroscience and Behavior offers a balance between basic research and practical laboratory training in contemporary behavioral and systems neuroscience. The primary aim of the program is to help students gain an understanding of brain-behavior relationships with particular interest in identifying the biological mechanisms important for human and animal behavior

The graduate program in Social Psychology at UCSB trains experimental social psychologists for research and teaching positions in academic settings. The program offers a balance between theory-oriented basic research and problem-oriented applied research

Many psychology faculty also interact with and conduct research in research programs affiliated with the department. These programs typically adopt a multi-disciplinary and/or interdisciplinary approach to understanding an important topic or set of topics, offering further opportunities for cutting edge scholarship at the interstices of related fields.